Behind the Art

The words "starving artist" have over time become a well worn cliché. The image of the independent individualist fighting indifference and destitution could be as old as art history. When I had an extremely negative experience with one local gallery, that stereotype of the long suffering creative mind had a certain resonance.

It is a given that the life of most artists is not easy. There are exceptions. For the vast majority involved in this undertaking, life consists of a day job and whatever time left devoted to the craft, friends and some semblance of a home life. Another common denominator most, but not all, artists share is representation by a gallery.

Galleries serve a particular function for artists. As a conduit for sales, a show place for works and a way for artists to have their work seen in the best possible context, they also serve the obvious purpose of marketing.

The legitimacy gallery representation confirms is that of being taken seriously. The moment the work is on the walls with labels and a price tag, the work is not viewed as the product of a dilettante, but the expression of someone looking to be taken seriously. It also provides the public with the stamp of approval that the work has merit. With the lack of serious arts writing in many areas, the inclusion of work in a gallery is often the only curatorial critical assessment given art work in many areas.

The sense of being an exhibiting serious artist in the Valley came for me when I joined the Paulina Miller Studio Gallery in Phoenix. After moving here in the late 90's, it was around 2000 that I started to exhibit my work. My entrance to the Phoenician Art World was via Tempe. At the time, I had no clue that the gallery artist relationship that began on a positive note would end so acrimoniously.

Paulina Miller and I had exchanged emails and images before we met. She expressed interest in the work. I was thrilled that she was serious about representing my creations. But the true test would be when she saw the actual works as opposed to seeing images of them. Through some interesting connections, I had a solo exhibition at a coffee house in Tempe. Seeing this as a golden opportunity to locate collectors, I invited Ms. Miller to the opening.

True to her word, she was present and purchased several works. It was fortuitous timing. It was the prelude of positive things to come.

Eventually, I would show at the Paulina Miller Studio Gallery and sell work. This was something of an accomplishment considering the difficulty finding buyers. While first Friday has become wildly popular, sales of actual art – not nick knacks, doo dads, crafts and assorted objects—is still something of a rarity. I was surprised that works were finding new homes and Paulina Miller was taking an active interest in my creations. She had drawing framed in her office.

With any gallery, even during the best of times, there are ups and downs. With the Paulina Miller Gallery, the high point was early on with the work selling, even if slowly and not in great numbers, after I joined.

My work was shown, taken seriously and there were articles in the Arizona Republic about me and my creations. The response was favorable.

As new gallery directors arrived and departed, my presence in exhibitions was sporadic. Every now and then I would be included in group shows off and on for several years.

Considering the history I had with the gallery, I was not anticipating that I would need to take action to obtain my pieces after a showing.

After a succession of gallery assistants a new person, whose last name I cannot recall, Stacey, came on board. After not having any sales or shows with the gallery for an extended period, I was surprised when Stacey called me in 2008.

I cannot recall the exact date, but she called to informed me the gallery was going to provide art work for the Sheraton Hotel. She had looked through various portfolios on file and thought my work would be a good match for this venture. The project would include having the work up, displaying sales information and an opportunity for the general public to see the work outside of the gallery.

As a way to display work and generate sales, this seemed like a viable way to have art reach those that might not otherwise view local talent. Naturally, I jumped at the opportunity. I was informed the works would be up for 4 four months and then rotated out with new work. The works would certainly not be up for a year and at the very most maybe six months, as I recall. It was certainly not the better part of a year.

When 2008 turned into 2009, I was informed that the Sheraton hotel management would be selecting the actual work. The gallery would chose the artists, but the actual pieces selected for exhibition would be at the discretion of the hotel. So I brought seven or six pieces to the gallery for consideration. Out of the lot, the Sheraton executives selected four to be installed as a group in the restaurant on the ground floor.

Curious to see how the pieces looked, I paid a visit to the hotel in March, to be precise, March 14th 2009. The pieces were selected in February and installed in that month of 2009. With anticipation, I walked through the lobby of the Sheraton.

Some of the artists work looked familiar, most did not, but the pieces had the unmistakable look of Phoenician art.

When I looked carefully, not a single piece had any tags or labels. There were no pieces of information about the work or the creators. If one did not know the background of the pieces, a viewer unaware would think the Sheraton had purchased the work and that they were on permanent display. Finally I made it to where my four paintings hung.

Conspicuous by their absence was any information about the work, its availably for sale or even where the pieces had come or who created them.

Learning of the lack of labels or any identification on the work, I contacted Paulina Miller shortly some time thereafter. She seemed surprised to learn that labels were not present. She gave me the impression she would attend to this.

Due to career changes, other projects and life itself, I was actually working full time and trying to launch an art center, well that is a whole story unto itself, I simply had no time to follow up on details.

Trusting that the gallery would handle the matter, I did not give the subject of labels or duration of the loan of work a second thought. The gallery had always been honest in my past dealings. In fact, I had an inventory of the pieces, but no formal contract regarding the works on loan to the Sheraton. Everything was verbal.

As weeks passed into months, around October 2009 I was curious to know when the works would be returned. It seemed considerable time had passed and the work should be returned for future exhibitions and subsequent sales. I contacted Paulina Miller to see when the works were to be returned, or if the Hotel wanted to purchase them. Ms. Miller informed me she would get back to me.

When I contacted her sometime later, I learned that Stacey, her gallery director at the time the project began, was no longer with the gallery. I have no idea how or why her employment ended.

After a series of calls, at least one visit and several emails, I heard nothing from Paulina Miller. I kept contacting her, but received no response. This was both frustrating and unusual being that she had always been prompt when returning my calls.

Clearly seeing that she did not wish to talk to me, I approach the Sheraton directly to discern who was responsible, and if the hotel would be interested in purchasing the work.

I was transferred from one executive to the other. Every phone call I made ran into dead ends. No one from the Sheraton would even speak to me concerning the matter. I could never discern who was responsible for this loan.

On the advice of a friend, who was a business owner, it was suggested to me to simply send an invoice to the Sheraton for the price of the work and ask if they would either purchase the pieces, or return them to me. Being that Paulina Miler refused to respond to my numerous attempts at obtaining answers, the Sheraton, as I saw it, was holding my work—work that belong to me at this point not Paulina Miller.

Consider the loan period had long since past and the gallery had not followed through on putting up labels or even providing me with a date to retrieve the pieces, to me my work was literally being held hostage.

Once I sent the invoice to the Sheraton for the cost of the four pieces they had in their possession, a response did come. Also note, a copy of the same letter was sent to Paulina Miller letting her know that I had contacted the Sheraton Hotel directly.

When my invoice was received by the Director of Finance, Jim Lacy CPA for the Sheraton, that was the first time I had received an actual response to my inquiries. An email dated November 17th informed me that the Hotel was not interested in purchasing the works and that the Paulina Miller Gallery had been contacted to remove my work and replace it with that of another artist.

When I contacted Paulina Miller about this, I received no response. I contacted Mr. Lacy again to see if I could simply pick up the work. He informed me that I need to deal with Paulina Miller and that the Hotel was dealing with her not me.

With Paulina Miller not returning my calls and the Hotel Management taking a strictly hands off policy, I decided to try a last ditch effort to resolve what had been going on for weeks.

I contacted 3 on your side.

Much to my surprise my email with the tag line, "My art work is being held hostage at a Hotel," caught the attention of the producers of the show. Within a few days, they contacted me to set up a time to come to my studio slash residence to do an interview for a segment of the show.

Not only was I shocked, I was amazed anyone was interested. The crew came down to South Mountain were I created the pieces and there I was in studio gear, an old University of Paris sweat shirt and torn jeans covered in bits of paint, telling my side of the story.

One would think it was over, or soon would be. With a news station involved, one would think things would move fast. Well, not that fast.

The station producers contacted Paulina Miller and informed me to call her being that arrangements had been made for me to pick up my work. So I called Ms Miller. We talked and she stated the works would be available the following week. She also told me the Sheraton may buy the works. This was in sharp contrast to the email from the hotel stating they had no intention of doing so.

On a rainy December 7th, I called Paulina Miller to see if the works would be available. She could not tell me when, or even if, my works could be retrieved. They might be there, they might not, she provided a definite time to come by the gallery and pick up my worki.

So I was back to calling her and learning nothing. When the producers called me asking if I had the work back, they were surprised to hear that Paulina Miller had given me no information.

The show's producer was surprised and said they would send a film crew to the gallery to see what was holding up the proceedings. As it turned out, they did.

At that point, the show's producer called me and told me to call Paulina Miller to pick up the pieces.

Following their direction, I called her.

Ms. Miller informed me the work would be at the gallery, but if I was not there within a half hour, I would have to wait three days before I could pick up the work being that she was leaving town to go to Tucson.

On the day this takes place it is raining. It is a total down pour and I am preparing to resign from a problematic job -- that is yet another story -- and I am in Chandler. Being that I did not want to lose one more minute, I informed Paulina Miller I would be there.

I needed to be in Phoenix in a half hour. Much to my surprise without breaking a speed limit, or crashing into another car, I arrived at the gallery twenty six minutes later.

After nearly a year apart, I see my four works intact leaning against a wall.

I hurriedly picked them up, as Paulina Miller had me sign an invoice. As I pickup the invoice to depart, Paulina Miller states "We are done, good bye."

Those words end nearly ten years of my art represented by her gallery. Interestingly enough the showers stop falling long enough to give me time to pack them without seeing them covered in rain.

As soon as I exit the parking lot with my car filled with work, I immediately called the station to let them know I have the pieces. Sounding surprised, the producer sounded as happy as I was to have them back. With this, the whole process was over.

With the works safely returned, the T.V. crew made a second trip to my place to see me and my work reunited after nearly a year apart.

With the start of the new year, 3 on your side airs a segment that brings out the highlights of what transpired over several weeks ending with me happy to have my work returned.

What surprised me by all of this is why it happened, and why Paulina Miller made the kind of P.R. mistakes that could easily be damaging to her reputation.

When she was point blank confronted with why I could not get my pieces back, Mrs. Miller replied to the news crew "That is his problem."

Apparently, it was my problem that the gallery did not pick up my work, put labels on the work or come through on the promises made when I agreed to this arrangement with the Sheraton.

I can only conjecture that Ms. Miller simply did not want to bother with the work or follow up on any of the details. Perhaps she thought the whole thing would just sit until she was ready to take the work down and replace it.

It was even suggested to me by others viewing the segment that Paulina Miller may have had fiscal arrangement with the hotel to provide the work. In this scenario, she would receive payment as long as the works were on display. I knew of no such arrangement, so this is pure speculation on the part of someone looking from the outside in, however this could explain why she was in no hurry to remove work.

When I made arrangements to loan my work, it was understood the works where for sale and that no rental fees would be collected. Considering how things transpired, it makes one wonder if a rental agreement was made with the participating artists unware of it.

Again, this is conjecture, but it is an interesting explanation.

I am not certain what thought process was involved, but clearly working for the artist, making sales or creating a greater awareness of Phoenician fine art was not part of the agenda.

What amazes me about the whole process was how little concern was accorded the artist, in this case me and others. Here I was concerned about my work, and the gallery—which takes a 50 percent cut – did not feel particularly interested in sales, promotion or even the image of the gallery.

Another speculative issue that I think is interesting is if other artists tried to obtain their work and if they encountered the silent treatment I was given. I have no way of knowing if they complained, gave up, or took legal action. What I do know is my efforts returned my pieces and those of other artists represented.

At the conclusion of this, I learned the Sheraton terminated their loan arrangement with the Paulina Miller Gallery. In an email from Gregg Edelmann, he informed me his gallery Exposed would be handling art work for the Sheraton. Perhaps his experiences will be better than mine.

One can hope.

Epilogue

As list the sequence of events that took place in my quest to obtain my work, I can't help but see the reoccurring theme of the artist as starving, and equally as frustrating irrelevant, underscoring this entire episode. Unlike electric bills, car payments, a house note or pc, somehow art—among all of the things people buy and sell—becomes an after thought.

Like some sort of vagrant whose very existence spoils a perfectly good day, the artist is a visible reminder that works of enlightenment, beauty and depth come at a cost that seemingly no one is willing to pay, but ultimately everyone enjoys, usually at the expense of the artists who brought their vision to life.

When I approached the Paulina Miller Gallery and the Sheraton, the reactions I received were similar. In both cases neither wanted to deal with me directly. Speaking to me was not necessary and my concerns of no importance. Being that I was a person, not a corporation, my issues were irrelevant.

While they certainly had no time for me, both certainly had no problem with the works I had created being a part of their environments.

The value of art is obvious, and yet no one wants to purchase it. No one has problems using the cache art automatically generates towards specific goals, yet no one wishes to finance it or take art as a serious endeavor integral to the cultural, social and economic landscape.

While the Sheraton was not directly responsible for this fiasco, they certainly did little if anything to prevent it from being the truly negative experience it became. Being that they selected the work, and selected the gallery, some degree of responsibly rests with the Hotel.

Considering their position, they could have easily asked Paulina Miller to retrieve the work and compelled her to do so. They were in a position to make this request.

They very well may have, but I think it unlikely. After all, they told me to contact Paulina Miller. It is very doubtful they would have contacted her. In the end, it took a T.V. station to motivate Paulina Miller to take appropriate action.

Even with that said, as a sign of good faith or out of a sense of civic responsibility, there are things the Hotel could have done, not the least of which was pay for the rental of the work or just out right buy it, to show interest in the situation and support for local talent. There are a number of things they could have done. Instead they chose to remain aloof.

What I found interesting in all of this is how Channel 3 made a clear point of making very sure that the problem was between myself and Paulina Miller. Certainly, Paulina Miller bears much of the responsibility for this mess. But, the hotel did chose to deal with her, they did select the work and therefore have some measure of responsibility.

Had the tags and labels been placed, had the gallery done a better job, this might not have been as horrid a deal as it turned out in the end. Ultimately what happened was that the Sheraton obtained local art to decorate their hotel without paying for it.

Another point, but a significant one, was when I asked Paulina Miller, this was after the tv station became involved, if I could simply pick up the work from the Hotel. She said great, and would I be willing to retrieve all of the art from the Sheraton.

My first thought was that it takes a lot of nerve after all the frustrations I had gone through to pick up other people's work without so much as a mention of compensation.

That alone takes an incredible amount of nerve, perhaps even arrogance, to even raise the subject of me picking up everyone's work on my own.

This is yet another one of those cases where the artist is seen as little more than a day laborer who has nothing better to do than become a moving company. It is bad enough having a gallery take fifty percent of what you make, but to do a non existent job of marketing and then ask me to do work for the gallery that is way too much to ask.

As much as Phoenix sees itself, or wants to see itself, as a world class city, when it comes to the arts and local support, Phoenix has a lot of work to do. For all of the fun of First Friday and the endless shifting sea of spaces, the sad reality behind the monthly party is that serous collectors are not to be found. Compounding that situation is the lack of really strong work or suitable places to exhibit it.

As wildly popular as First Friday is, few sales are ever made. The situation is made worse by vendors of all types of junk, kitsch and assorted nick knacks sold within feet of serious venues. As invigorating as it is for some businesses, like restaurants or bars, First Fridays are a fiscal loss for artists.

Open one day out of the month, for one day Phoenix is an art haven. For the remainder of the month the doors for most venues are closed.

Due to the lack of support, awareness and real investment on the part of the powers that be, local art is on life support. Had the true powers that be did something, anything, the situation would be different. But with only lip service being paid and art committees and public arts projects that favor outside talent to the home grown, the talent drain on the valley continues.

It really is a tragic day when a long time gallery treats the creations of its artists and the artists themselves like annoyances. It is even worse when a major hotel chain takes advantage of the situation.